


Asylum

by Callie_Girl



Series: Asylum [1]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series), Thomas Sanders
Genre: ADHD Roman, Compulsive Liar Deceit, Implied Childhood Sexual Abuse, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Logan has emotion issues, Multi, Patton and Virgil have anxiety, Remy has insomnia, Sympathetic Deceit Sanders
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-11
Updated: 2018-12-11
Packaged: 2019-09-16 00:36:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,086
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16943697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Callie_Girl/pseuds/Callie_Girl
Summary: Roman Prince, age 17. Currently switching medication on debilitating ADHD.Virgil Anx, age 16. Anxiety, depression, and suiciadal tendancies.Remy Starr, age 17. Insomnia. Changing medication.Logan Callie, age 16. Under observance for signs of sociopathy. [SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE]Patton Morra, age 16. Severe separation anxiety and PTSD.James Ceit, age 17. Obsessive Defiance Disorder, compulsive lying. [SUSPECTED CHILD ABUSE. RAISED UNDER MYSTERIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.]





	1. 1

The six looked at each other as their parents escorted them into the asylum. Virgil, Roman, Patton, Logan, Remy, and James (Deceit).

Virgil’s mom lead him to the warden's office, and made him sit in the chair as opposed to his normal standing in the corner. The warden looked him up and down, and Virgil squirmed, imagining all the awful things the man, Doctor Sanders, must think of him.

“Virgil Anx?”

Virgil nodded, cringing away from the offered handshake. His mom sighed.

“Yes, this is Virgil. Multiple suicide attempts, intense anxiety, and selective mutism.” she paused, gripping her sons’ hand. “I don’t want to leave him here, but his medicine needs to kick in, and I can’t watch him 24/7.”

Virgil sighed, wanting to lean towards his mom for comfort. But he didn’t want to seem pathetic.

“He’ll be taken good care of here,” Sanders vowed. Virgil's mom nodded, kissed her boy on the forehead, and left.

 

James Ceit had to be dragged out of the car.

“No!” he screamed, fighting the iron grip on his wrists. “I’m fine! I’m perfectly fine! I don’t need to be here, and I don’t want to be!”

He was lying on all but the last one. He knew he needed help, but he didn’t want to be here!

The two passed a goth-looking boy in the hall. The boy gave James an odd look, and James hissed, scaring the teen away.

“James!” Da roared, giving in to his rage and slapping the boy’s scarred face. James froze. His father had never gone so far as to hit him in public!

“Ah, you must be Mr Ceit.” Doctor Sanders walked up, having not seen the blatant child abuse. “And this must be James.”

“No! I’m not James! This is just some weird fuck-up!”

“Yeah, this is James,” Da growled. “Compulsive lying ass and obsessive defiance disorder.

The meeting was cut off by a scream.

 

Patton Morra screamed again, covering his ears and sobbing. “No!”

“Patty…” his aunt sighed, tears running down her own face at the thought of leaving the poor boy. “It’s only for one month. Then I’ll be back.”

“Don’t leave meeeeee…” Patty sobbed.

Logan Callie watched Patton’s tantrum, his mother retaining a vice-like grip on his shoulder.

“Don’t be like that boy, Logan,” she ordered quietly. He nodded, going over manners in his head.

“Mother, why must I be here?”

“The therapist recommended it. Now, remember, posture.”

He squared his shoulders, which had relaxed a bit during his conversation.

 

Roman Prince ran ahead of his new friend, Remy Starr. Then he saw a squirrel, and then- Ooh look! Shiny! And oh- Look at that cool rock!

Remy watched his progress with a slightly unfocused gaze, shoulders slumped from exhaustion.

“Roman.” Pops chided, “We need to go this way.”

“Oh, right!” Roman returned to his quest; protect the insomniac Remy as he ran valiantly into the building. Past the listless kid and the screaming one. Around the scarred kid who fought two attendants.

Then he tripped over someone.

“Hey!” the boy snapped, looking up from his position on the floor, where he sat with his knees pulled up to his chest. “Watch it!...” he paused, cringing at how mean he sounded… “I-I mean… If you… what I mean to say…”

“Oh, hello! My name is Roman, Roman Prince! What’s your name?”

“V-v-v-Virgil…”


	2. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> none  
> /btw, this is a dream and details physical abuse/

"Today we talk about feelings." One of the doctors said, making them all sit in the circle. Virgil dismayed at this. He wanted to be in a back corner...

"Oh, I love talking about my feelings!" James drawled sarcastically. He'd fought so much he'd been confined to a straight-jacket.

"James..."

"Honestly, can't think of any place I'd rather be."

"Behave, or we'll send you to your room."

James shot up, yellow eye flashing. "Oh, I'd like to see you try!"

"Well, I feel great! I'm so happy to be here and meet all of you! C-can I just call..." Patty trailed off, trying to break the tension.

"Oh sure, Patricia. Everyone cares how you feel, you basic bitch!" Patty frowned, then forced another smile.

"James!"

"I absolutely love it here!" James shouted. "I love this dumbass place, these retards you've put me with, and I'm so happy my dad took a long enough break from whipping me to bring me here!"

The room went dead silent as James realized what he'd just revealed...

Remy stood, moving to comfort James, but James ran.

Remy staggered after him.

 

In retrospect, James should not have gotten as far as he did.

He put it up to his skill for acting like everything was normal. He walked to his room, closed the door, and then put his plan into action.

He struggled against the straight jacket until he broke it and managed to take it off, then he cannibalised his contraband belt, which he'd only been granted because he was so skinny, using the buckle to put a few holes in the ceiling and fashioning the jacket into a basic noose.

There was a knock on the door.

"Just a minute!" he called. He stepped on a chair, putting his head through the loop, then stepping off the chair.

As he passed out the first time, a smile found its way onto his face. It was over now.

Remy opened the door.

And screamed.

 

Where was a nurse when you needed one?

Logan stood in the doorway, watching the hysterical insomniac try to get James down from the noose. He wanted to help, but what if it was rude...

Virgil skidded in, falling over a bit and scrambling to his feet. Roman joined them as well. They were gonna catch hell for running off...

Roman and Virgil helped Remy get James down. Virgil frowned.

"He isn't breathing."

Well, Logan decided to make a call. If he was punished for saving a life, then so be it.

"Virgil, I need you to go get a doctor. Remy, please monitor James' pulse and tell me if it returns. Roman, keep count of how long he's out." Logan began chest compression, counting to the extremely appropriate tune of "Stayin Alive." He couldn't remember if mouth-to-mouth was done any more.

God, his mother would be pissed at him for forgetting such an important thing-

Remy gasped. "His pulse is back!"

Logan allowed himself a sigh of relief, feeling James' heart begin to beat. The small male's chest began to rise and fall on its own.

He leaned back on his heels, composing himself.

A nurse walked by. "What's going on? You know you guys can't be in each other's rooms."

"James hung himself," Roman informed her.

The nurse rushed in, pressing a red button next to the door and then checking James. He was soon taken away on a gurney.

 

Virgil eventually reappeared. They waited outside the infirmary. Logan paced, Roman sat, and Patton lay down, using Roman's lap as a pillow. Remy had been so hysteric the staff had sedated him.

"Where, may I ask, were you?" Logan demanded. "We had to resuscitate James by ourselves."

"I-I'm sorry..." Virgil stammered. Roman stood up (after putting Patton's head down gently.)

"Sorry doesn't cut it! He could've died because of you!"

Virgil stood as the words hurled at him. Roman got an occasional nod

from Logan or glare from Patton, but he continued until he had nothing left to say.

"Okay." Virgil snapped. "I'll do better next time."

Then he walked away.

 

/"Last time, you little bitch. Tell the truth." James back farther into his corner as Da rounded on him.

"I did my homework!" James gasped in desperation. No matter what, the words never came out right.

"Wrong answer."

James struggled and his dad ripped the boy's shirt off and grabbed a leather strap.

"Da-" James begged.

"Take it like a man, you pathetic little ass!"

James cried out as the strap connected with his back, breaking the skin.

His father swung harder and harder, grinning while James cried. Then he stopped and yanked James' head up by the hair.

"No food or water for two days." James nodded, tears running down his face.

His father's boot connected with James' chest, followed by several cracks, and blinding pain.

James slowly drifted into unconsciousness./

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> none


	3. 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> none

"Wow." the nurse whistled, examining the x-rays. "You see that? There's gotta be... Omigod, I'm surprised he can even breathe."

"What?"

"Gotta be around forty different breaks in the ribs that weren't set properly. X-rays on his jaw show about five fractures."

The older nurse examined an unconscious James. "How do you figure he did that?"

"No idea."

The nurse moved James' shirt up. His ribs were plainly visible, and there were tons of pits and bumps from where his ribs had broken and healed. Even a few scars from where a bone pierced the skin.

James woke up.

He yelped, yanking his shirt back down and wrapping his arms around his mid-section.

"James, can you tell me where you got those breaks?"

James shook his head, starting to cry.

 

Remy ran in.

"James!"

James grinned. "Remy!"

They hugged, both laughing and crying.

"I hate to interrupt this moment, but I need to talk to James."

James frowned. "I don't want Remy to stay. I'll answer all the questions if he isn't here."

"Translation; He wants me to stay." James nodded.

The nurse sighed. "James, those breaks may not irritate you now, but if we don't fix them tehy'll become impairing. We need to fix them."

James shuddered.

"We will, of course, need your father's permission."

James started screaming.

And he couldn't stop.

 

Virgil was sitting in a hallway, being watched by one of the nurses. Roman glanced at her.

"Can I talk to him?"

The nurse looked between the gasping teen and Roman. "You think you can calm him down?"

"I can try."

The nurse nodded hesitantly. "Remember-"

"No touching." Roman sat next to Virgil. "Hey, Virge. I'm sorry I yelled at you. I... I know you have anxiety. It should've been me to go find a nurse. It's okay."

He reached out to touch Virgil's hand but stopped. No touching. Dammit. Damn. It.

He considered how he spelt that in his mind. How could you tell between dam and damn? If someone said it out loud-

He zapped the rubber band he kept around his wrist. He had to concentrate-

His favourite orange juice had concentrate. He didn't know what that meant. He also didn't know what supercalifragilisticexphilalidocious meant-

He zapped himself again.

That got Virgil's attention. Taking a shaky breath, he asked, "why do you do that?"

"The rubber band thing? I zap myself to stop getting distracted. Like... negative reinforcement. My dad doesn't like it when I do it."

"T-t-t-tell me about... a-about... tell me about your dad."

Roman smiled fondly. "His name is Cato, and he actually adopted me. He's an absolute dork. He got into a fifteen-minute argument with someone over who shot first. Dead stubborn."

Virgil smiled shakily. Roman kept talking as Virgil slowly calmed down.

Finally, when Virgil had come down from the attack, Roman put the impulsive in ADHD. "Virgil, I think you're really cute. Like, really freaking adorable. I want to date you. Can I?"

Virgil blinked at the bluntness, then grinned sleepily. "Sure. Why not? You're cute. I like your face."

Roman grinned. "When we get out of here, I am so gonna kiss you."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> none


	4. 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> none

Logan was the least problematic of the group. He was allowed to, under extremely close supervision, knit during his free time. The garments he created were taken afterwards because you can kill yourself with anything, but he figured he would sell them on eBay for extra money when he was out.

Patton, with the help of anxiety medication, started to warm up to them. He even told Remy stories to lull the other to sleep. He seemed almost... paternal with the group.

James, with therapy and practice, started to learn how to control his compulsive lying and obsessive defiance disorder. In the beginning, there would always be something that set him off. Normally, getting touched, whether it was being helped up after he'd fallen or accidentally brushing someone in the hallway, would set him off into full-blown hysterics and screaming, even violence, until he wore himself into a coma of exhaustion. The nurses and other patients soon learned to just play it safe and stay about a foot away. The doctors began to suspect PTSD.

Roman's treatment left him the most unpredictable. His constantly changing medication left him with dizziness, loss of appetite, or mood swings that could give a person whiplash. One even made his ADHD worse, if possible.

The only one who could easily cope with his constant change was Virgil. He coaxed him to eat. He helped Roman through both hallways and moods with practised ease. A few times, he even sang quietly to get Roman to sleep because sleeping with ADHD is impossible. Now one mentioned that they heard him for fear that he would stop, and they would have to deal with the gay theatre crank.

They were all getting better, slowly but surely.

Then something had to throw a wrench in it.

And that something was James' dad.

 

James had insisted on his new friends staying with him when his dad visited. Logan watched James' demeanour change the instant his father entered the room. The small males' shoulders slumped forward, and he became very interested in his socks.

Logan was observing. He fully believed James' original claim of physical abuse. Ceits hands hatched up with the bruises Logan had seen on James' torso and hips all that time ago. In fact, the positions of the ones one James' sides and hips had suggested something much, much darker...

"So, what did the little shit do this time?" Ceit growled.

The nurse baulked a bit. "Nothing. We... we found some areas of his rib cage that were broken and didn't heal properly. We wanted to perform a surgery to fix that."

Ceit glared at his son. "Oh, really? How did you find those areas, doctor?"

"James collapsed during physical activity, and we x rayed him to see what was wrong. It was... against his will."

James almost sighed in relief. His dad would've finished where his suicide attempt left off.

"So... how did he get those bruises?"

James winced. The bruises on his neck from the attempt were almost healed, but still visible against his sandy skin.

"That was my fault," Virgil whispered, surprising even himself with his bravery. "I was freaking out, and he tried to calm me down... I didn't mean to..."

Ceit glared with a fury that would have made Satan cry. Virgil gave up, running away. Roman sighed, following. A few nurses followed them, and the number of people in the room seemed to change drastically.

"You lot want to take my kid... and my money... to fix a problem?"

James winced. There was no way...

"Well..."

His heart fluttered. Could his father say yes-

"No."

Of fucking course.

 

Roman wished he knew the comforting songs that Virgil would sing. All he knew were songs from Music Man, but it was better than nothing.

Per usual, a nurse was supervising them. Roman ignored the man as he sang "Trouble in River City." Thankfully, Virgil wasn't in full blown panic attack mode, and he came back from the edge as Roman sang, eventually smiling.

"Jesus. That guy is terrifying."  
Roman laughed. "I know, right? How does James stand it?"

As if in response to that, Patton rushed over. "MR CEIT IS TAKING JAMES HOME!"

"What!?" Roman and Virgil shot to their feet.

 

Mr Ceit had an iron grip on James' shoulder. James himself looked half crazed from panic and despair, eyes shooting around the room.

Then he focused on a nearby table.

The table with Logan's knitting needles.

Logan started to edge towards them, intent on grabbing them before James could.

Mr Ceit grabbed the papers, letting go of James for one second.

James shot to the table, grabbed the needles, and ran back.

Then he shoved the needle into Mr Ceit chest.

Two guards tackled James, cuffing his hands behind his back and calling an ambulance. James didn't react as they yanked him back to his feet.

"I'm sorry." he whispered to his friends as he was taken away.

"What... just... happened?" Remy asked, confused and stunned.

"James just stabbed his DAD!!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> none


	5. 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> none

"Why did you stab him?"

"No."

The interrogator sighed. "What do you mean, no?"

"No," James answered curtly.

"James-"

"I have the right to remain silent. Anything I say can and will be used against me in a court of law."

"You're seventeen, you don't have any rights.

"No."

"James, I just want to know why you did what you did."

James fought down a ready lie, and repeated himself; "No."

There was a knock on the door, and the officer made sure James was restrained before opening it.

"Ah, Doctor Sanders."

"I'll take it from here, Terrence." Doctor Sanders sat across from James.

"Good morning-"

"Go to hell."

Sanders took a deep breath. "Okay, you don't want to talk about it. Fine. But maybe you can tell me about this?" He slid over a picture. The x-ray of James' chest. James stiffened.

"Where did you get that?!"

"Stuff goes around."

"It's nothing. I'm perfectly fine. I don't know why my ribs are like that."

Sanders put on a poker face. "Okay. Well, maybe you can explain this?"

He pulled out a picture of the faint scars on James' back. James went dead silent.

"Let me take a stab, and correct me if I'm wrong; your father beats you, and kicks you in the chest."

James wrapped his arms around his torso, unbidden tears running down his face.

"I'll take that as a yes."

Remy hugged James fiercely.

"Are you okay?" Remy asked, black eyes wide.

"Yes." James lied.

"No, you aren't. It's okay to not be okay."

"Well... I guess I'm not quite okay."

"Are you arrested?"

"No."

"Are you telling the truth?"

"Always, my star."

"You gave me a nickname!"

"I hope you give me something in return." James smiled shyly. "Remy, you are the best thing that's ever happened to me. When I'm around you, it's easier to tell the truth. You've made me smile, and you've made me feel better than I have felt since I started lying. Remy Starr, will you go out with me?"

Remy stared, and with each passing second, James felt his confidence wither more and more.

"YES!" Remy cried, hugging James so tight he could've sworn his ribs broke again.

"Hey-" Sanders warned. Remy let go of James, taking a step back.

"Right. No touching. Sorry."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> none


	6. 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> none

Patton squirmed as all eyes turned to him in the circle. "W-well... My mom and dad died in a car crash, when I was home alone. Then my brother died in a school shooting while I wasn't with him... I'm just afraid if I'm not with someone, they'll get hurt... Even being in a different room makes me so upset..."

Doctor Sanders smiled gently at the bespectacled boy. "I understand, Patton. But you can't let fear control your life. We'll see how the anxiety 

medication helps. If you ever need to contact your aunt r uncle, text them. Try ot to text them for more than once per hour, okay? We'll speak two times a month. Virgil?"

"The medication has helped, a lot. I can finally... I'm not just surviving any more, I can live now. I'm still stressed, but it's manageable."

"Very good. We'll try the same as Patty. Twice a month. Remy?"

"I can sleep if James is with me."

"Very good! We'll try to work with a medication, but only take it if you're awake past eleven at night." Sanders faced Logan. "Logan, I can't quite figure what's up with you. So we'll speak one a month."

Logan nodded, and Patton tilted his head. "Why are you here, Lolo?"

"I was being screened for signs of being a sociopath. I apparently am not."

Sanders nodded. "Now, James. Unfortunately, there is no medication for compulsive lying, but there are several to help with your ptsd, which seems to be a source. We'll meet one a week."

"Why so often?"

"Simply in the beginning to measure how you're coping. And Roman, the medicine for your ADHD will be strengthened, so you can function. Put an alert on your phone so you remember to take the pills. Now, all of your parents are here. Go and live your lives."

 

"ROMAN!" Mr Prince roared as Roman shot out the door, flying into his father's arms and cheering. Remy stepped up as well, to be greeted just as vigorously.

Then Remy noticed James.

James stood apart from the group, fear written on his burned features. He didn't have anywhere to go.

Remy dragged him over. "Pa, this is James, my boyfriend. He helps me fall asleep without medicine. He doesn't have any home to go back to. I was hoping we could adopt him, like you adopted me."

Mr Prince examined James, then pulled him into an intense hug. "Of course! Welcome to the family!"

 

Patty walked Logan over to him mum, who lit a cigarette. Logan 

cringed.

"Mother, may I speak?"

"Eye contact, boy. And yes, you may."

"This is Patton, my lover. He has helped me identify the many emotions I have experienced here; despair, happiness... and love."

"Love is for the weak."

Patton frowned, jumping to a conclusion. "Logan, can I speak to you in private?"

Logan nodded. "Excuse us, Mother."

 

Patton lead Logan out of earshot.

"Is your mom always like that?"

"It is rude to talk about my mother." Logan said, sounding like he was reciting something he'd been made to write multiple times.

"Is it rude to talk about your home life?"

"Yes."

"Is it rude to talk about your emotions?"

"Yes."

Patton frowned, noticing something. "Logan, open your mouth, tongue out."

Logan did so, looking confused. Patton gaped at several round scars on Logan's tongue and inside of his cheeks.

"Lolo, did your mother do that?"

"It is rude-"

"Logan please! Manners be damned!"

Logan hesitated, then nodded.

"Okay, you aren't going home with her."

"What? But where else will I go?"

"With me!"

"Logan!" his mother called. Patton followed Logan back over.

"He's not going anywhere with you." Patton said matter-of-factly."

"Oh? And why is that?"

"You're a sociopath!" Patton yelled, gaining the attention of the others.

"And what evidence do you have?" the woman snapped.

"You abuse him and manipulate him, and from the other stuff I've wormed out of him, you meet the rest of the criteria as well!"

"Abuse him?"

"Yeah." Virgil stepped out of the shadows, looking furious. He pointed at Mrs Callie. "She burned him, I saw the scars in his mouth from cigarettes!"

James snarled, pulling Logan behind him. Mrs Callie's facade shattered.

"Oh, what is wrong with your face? What happened to you face, huh? Why's it all screwed up?"

She waved her cigarette at the burned half of James' face, and James fell to his knees, choking as gasping. Remy yelped, grabbing and Epi-Pen from James' bag and injecting his lover, ordering Patton to get a doctor, asap.

"What? Is he allergic to cigarette smoke?" Virgil asked.

"Tobacco."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> none


	7. 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> none

The nurse walked up to Mr Prince. "A minute longer and we'd've had to cut his throat so he could breathe. But he should be fine."

"I could've fucking told you that!" James shouted from the infirmary room. Remy grinned.

"I'll go calm him down."

Remy sat on the edge of James' abandoned bed, while James paced around. "Hey, love. How are you doing?"

"Fine, except I'm locked in here!"

"James, I was wondering... What did happen to your face?"

James paused, lightly touching the scars. "Car crash."

He was lying. But Remy was fine with it. Everyone deserved their secrets.

"We're ready to take you home. You'll have to share a room with either me or Roman, but I don't want you to go on the streets."

James inwardly flinched, thinking of how it would have been on the streets. Especially with how his life used to be...

"James?" Remy waved his hand in front of James' face, snapping him back to reality. "You okay?"

"I'll live," James answered shortly. Remy didn't pursue the topic further, but curiosity ebbed at him.

"Well then, let's go home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> none


End file.
